His maternal grandfather John Hopwood was the town namesake and was a Baptist who founded churches throughout Fayette County.
DeFord studied in common schools and attended Madison College in Pennsylvania for a few months.
[2] As a young man, he helped construct the National Road near Laurel Hill.
[2][3] In 1835, DeFord moved to a farm in Washington Township, Carroll County, Ohio.
[2] DeFord died on February 24, 1898, at his son's home near East Rochester, Ohio.